Date: March 7, 2001 - Hashemi's Account of Workers' Protests

The Sad Tale of Pilgrims' Deaths in Mina as Told by Hashemi

Hashemi's Account of Workers' Protests

The Observance of Eid al-Adha Prayer and Its Contexts According to Hashemi

Complete Daily Record:

Yesterday, during the Rami Jamarat ceremony in Mina, 45 pilgrims lost their lives due to overcrowding and disorder, including 33 women and 12 men. Previously, during my visit to the Hajj Services Research Center in Saudi Arabia, I had provided recommendations regarding the proper management of the Rami Jamarat and the establishment of order, but unfortunately, they have fallen short. Two years ago, approximately 100 people also died there. Due to Saudi Arabia's good relations with many Islamic countries, this issue does not escalate into a political crisis.

In Tehran and Isfahan, the protests by workers regarding labor issues and demands for wage increases reached a new level. In Isfahan, clashes occurred, resulting in injuries and arrests. For some time now, due to economic stagnation and poor production conditions, a significant pressure has been placed on certain groups of workers.

To perform the Eid al-Adha prayer, I went to Tehran University. I delivered a sermon about Eid and another on the fight against poverty, referencing the actions and words of Ali (PBUH) in commemoration of the year of Imam Ali. For years, we had not held the Eid al-Adha prayer. Since the revolution, it has been performed 12 times; I led it once, Mr. [Mohammad] Imamiy Kashani led it last year, and Ayatollah Khamenei led it seven times. This year, the [Friday Prayer Organizing] Headquarters decided to give importance to the Eid al-Adha prayer, and I asked the leadership why they do not attend. They said that in previous years, public participation was low, and gradually it was preferred not to hold it; it was decided that with more promotion, I would go this time.

In the middle of the second sermon, the live broadcast of the inauguration of the newly built shrine of Imam Reza (PBUH), attended by the leadership, interrupted the broadcast of the sermon, raising questions. Before the prayer, I asked for Surah Al-A'la and Surah Ash-Shams to be provided to me on paper to read during the Eid prayer; by mistake, they had prepared Surah At-Takwir instead of Surah Ash-Shams. Fortunately, I noticed and corrected it. In the afternoon, the children were gathered.